1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an improved article of footwear and, more specifically, to a shoe or similar article having an improved heel mechanism for absorbing the shock or impact of the wearer of the article of footwear as the wearer takes a step.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The inventor is aware of the following patents which appear to be relevant to the present invention: La Magna, U.S. Pat. No. D 377,240, issued Jan. 7, 1997; Horibata et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,084, issued Jul. 3, 1984; Lakic, U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,095, issued Jul. 12, 1988; Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,095, issued Apr. 20, 1993; Schindler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,637, issued Sep. 6, 1994; Goldston et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,110, issued Aug. 1, 1995; Levine, U.S. Pat. No. D 194,346, issued Jan. 8, 1963; Hatfield, U.S. Pat. No. D 353,705, issued Dec. 27, 1994; and Pyatnitskii, Soviet Patent 1169-599-A, dated Jul. 30, 1985.
Nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests the present invention. More specifically, nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests an article of footwear comprising, in general, a sole member having an upper surface for supporting the sole of a wearer's foot, a lower surface, a heel end, and a toe end; and a heel mechanism attached to the heel end of the sole member; the heel mechanism including a first plate for attachment to the lower surface of the sole member adjacent the heel end thereof, the first plate having a first end and a second end; the heel mechanism including a second plate having a first end attached to the first end of the first plate and a second end normally urged away from the second end of the first plate; the heel mechanism including lever means associated with the second plate for urging the second end of the second plate toward the second end of the first plate when the wearer of the article of footwear takes a step.